The Lonely World

I have long been struck but the world-wide view of Canadians as being "polite". We are the polite nation. Always using our please and thank you's, being so kind and caring and compassionate. People hear Canadian and they think "Due South". I wish they weren't wrong. Canadians are just as self-centred as everyone else. Always looking out for number one. Whether they be old or young, busy or not, it is rare to be offered a smile or a kind word. No, most often when I am out on my own with the kids I feel more alone than when I am at home in my house. Surrounded by people everywhere and yet either they can't look me in the eye or else they point and talk about me instead of to me. I was struck by this the other day. I have gone out by myself with the four kids since having Aliyah, but not shopping. If I have to go out I try to keep it to a simple thing, and the other day I decided to brave the big bad world on my own! Swimming lessons, shopping and lunch were on the agenda and I was determined to do it by myself. 

Trying to unload kids, get them to walk in some sort of unity across a parking lot and into a store is massive accomplishment. Doors slammed in my face as people tried to avoid me and I struggled through pulling my stroller behind me and holding toddler hands in front. As I hold a wobbly tray for lunch, people just whiz on by. Sometimes they see me struggling as I try to maintain control of my brood and pay at the same time or try to walk while pushing a stroller and holding a tray of food. But not one person will offer to help. They just watch me and I can't help but wonder what is going on behind those eyes. Are they pitying me? Are they judging me? Are they simply amused and watching to see how I will manage? I honestly don't know. But I can feel so alone, so cold and deserted in that sea of people. And in moments like that I don't see our country through the naive eyes of Paul Gross, instead I see us as selfish and self-involved. Too caught up in our own worlds to think about someone else. We're angry on the roads, honking horns and cutting people off. We are rude in stores, ignoring others and only saying hi when we can't avoid it. 

I may not be able to change the way I am treated when I go out with my little brood behind me, but I aim to change the way I treat other people. And even if I can't necessarily help them out while balancing my little circus act, at least offer a warm smile or kind word to make them feel a little less ostracized and ignored. And so tonight I challenge you to hold open a door for someone, ask someone how they are doing without walking by before you've heard the answer. It might not "make the world a better place" but it might make the streets of Kamloops and Chase a little less cold and indifferent for one person.